Merging my passion for organizational development with my Master’s of Architecture, I integrate workplace design and culture as a competitive talent strategy. Most days, you can find me collaborating with smart, visionary leaders or speaking nationally about the role of design at America’s best workplaces. For more information, email me at commentarmstrong@gmail.com.

Leadership and the Creative Economy: Foster the Spirit at the Heart of Innovation

Barbara Armstrong: What could all business leaders, regardless of the size or type of their organizations, learn from the work of Creative Alliance Milwaukee?

Christine Harris: A fundamental role of any leader is to create a business and work environment that attracts and retains innovative, creative talent. So whether your business is part of a traditional creative industry, such as a design firm or ad agency, or employs a small team of creative talent within another type of industry, you as a leader must be sensitive to the needs of your creative talent, including finding fresh new ways to build up their capacity for creativity and innovation on an ongoing basis.

In businesses where the primary products or services aren’t part of a so-called creative industry, holding on to the best and brightest creative talent may be even more challenging. For instance, a marketing manager or art director in a manufacturing company can easily feel more isolated and in real need of creative connectivity. By consistently providing creative connections, both inside and outside of the organization, the business stands a better chance of engaging and retaining their precious talent.

Conclusion

A recent global leadership study by IBM, a survey of more than 1,500 chief executive officers from 60 countries and 33 industries, points to the correlation between creative thinking and innovation. My personal belief is that the creative economy can, and will, grow and prosper, and regional organizations such as Creative Alliance Milwaukee will play a vital role. As leaders, we must work, individually and collectively, to foster creative connectivity within our companies and our communities to meet the challenges ahead.

“Innovation is what America has always been about,” proclaimed President Obama in his recent State of the Union address. To be sure, Creative Alliance Milwaukee and similar organizations nationwide support the creative spirit at the heart of innovation.

Barbara T. Armstrong is a nationally recognized designer specializing in strategically integrating workplace design and culture as a competitive talent strategy. She is a former principal at Kahler Slater, a global architecture and design enterprise.

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